This Cold Year ― Percy Jackson & Annabeth Chase²

―iv. a titan in shining armor

THE ONLY EXPLANATION NAOMI COULD THINK OF was that she'd died. That was the only way to explain how a huge, silvery figure could drop out of the sky and stomp Kelli flat, trampling her into a mound of monster dust.

But her arms were still burning, so she must have still been alive.

The Titan was ten-feet-tall, with wild silver Einstein hair, pure silver eyes, and muscular arms protruding from a ripped-up blue janitor's uniform. In his hand was a massive push broom. His nametag read, BOB.

Naomi honest-to-gods started crying.

Annabeth yelped and tried to drag Naomi away, but Naomi didn't move. She didn't need to—the Titan wasn't interested in them. He turned to the two remaining empousai, who stood over Percy.

One was foolish enough to attack, lunging with the speed of a tiger, but she never stood a chance. A spearhead jutted from the end of Bob's broom. With a single deadly swipe, he cut her to dust. The last vampire tried to run. Bob threw his broom like a massive boomerang (broomerang?). It sliced through the vampire and returned to Bob's hand.

"SWEEP!" The Titan grinned with delight and did a victory dance. "Sweep, sweep, sweep!"

Somehow, Naomi managed to stand. Still on the ground, Annabeth stammered, "H-how...?"

With energy Naomi hadn't realized she still had left, she sprinted and threw her arms around Bob's waist. "Bob!"

The Titan janitor picked her up like she was a ragdoll.

It hurt, but Naomi threw her arms around his neck. "You came," she said, still trying to believe it. "You really came."

"You called me!" Bob said, like it was that simple. Naomi supposed it was. "Naomi called me! Yes, she did." He set her back on her feet, then frowned at the state of her arms. "Ouch." He touched both of her biceps, and the pain disappeared immediately as the wounds healed.

"Called you?" Annabeth asked. "She—wait. You're Bob? The Bob?"

Bob frowned when he noticed Annabeth's wounds. "Owie." Annabeth flinched as he knelt next to her.

"It's okay," Naomi said, still breathless from relief. "He's friendly."

Bob tapped Annabeth's forearm and it mended instantly.

Bob chuckled, pleased with himself, then bounded over to Percy and healed his bleeding neck and arm.

"All better!" he declared, his silver eyes crinkling with pleasure. "I am Bob, Naomi and Percy's friend!"

"Uh... yeah," Percy managed. "Thanks for the help, Bob. It's really good to see you again."

"Yes!" the Titan agreed. "Bob. That's me. Bob, Bob, Bob." He shuffled around, obviously pleased with his name. "I am helping. I heard my name. Upstairs in Hades's palace, nobody calls for Bob unless there is a mess. Bob, sweep up these bones. Bob, mop up these tortured souls. Bob, a zombie exploded in the dining room."

Annabeth gave Naomi a puzzled look, but she didn't have an explanation.

"Then I heard my friend call!" The Titan beamed. "Naomi said, Bob!" He grabbed Percy's arm and hoisted him to his feet.

"That's awesome," Percy said. "Seriously. But how did you—"

"Oh, time to talk later." Bob's expression turned serious. "We must go before they find you. They are coming. Yes, indeed."

"They?" Annabeth asked.

Naomi scanned the horizon. She saw no approaching monsters—nothing but the stark gray wasteland.